Hall's Chronicle 1459

[23rd September 1459]. The lord Audeley (age 61), accordyng to his commission, assembled aboue. x. M. men, and knowyng by his espials whiche way therle [Richard Neville Earl Salisbury (age 59)] kept, approched nere to hym on a faire plain called Blore Heath, within a mile of the toune of Drayton, in the countrey of Salope, commonly called Shropshire. The erle perceiuing by the liuery of the souldiors, that he was circumuented and likely to be trapped with the quenes power, determined rather there to abide the aduenture, with fame and honor, then farther to flie, with losse & reproche: & so encamped hymself all the night, on the side of a litle broke not very brode, but somewhat depe. In the mornyng earely, beyng the daie of. s. Tecle, he caused his souldiors to shote their rliorhtes, towarde the Lorde Awdeleys company, whiche laie on the otherside of the saied water, and then he and all his company, made a signe of retraite. The lorde Awdeley, remembryng not onely the trust that he was put in, but also the Quenes terrible commaundement, (whiche was to bryng to her presence, therle of Salisbury, quicke or ded) blewe vp his trumpet, and did set furth his voward, & sodainly passed the water. Therle of Salisbury, whiche knewe the slaightes, stratagemes, and the pollecies of warlike affaires, sodainly returned, and shortly encountred with the Lorde Awdeley and his chief Capitaines, or the residewe of his armie could passe the water. The fight was sore and dreadfull. Therle desiryng thesauyng of his life, and his aduersaries couetyng his destruccion, fought sore for the obteinyng of their purpose, but in conclusion, the erles army as men desperate of aide and succor, so egerly fought, that thei slewe the lorde Awdeley, and all his capitaines, and discomfited all the remnaunt of his people. In this battail wer slain, xxiiij. C. persos, but the greatest plague lighted on the Chesshire men, because one halfe of the shire, was one the one part, and the other on the other part, of whiche numbre wer sir Thomas Dutton, sir Ihon Dunne, & sir Hugh Venables. But therles twoo sonnes, the one called sir Ihon Neuell (age 28), and the other sir Thomas (age 29), wer sore woiided, whiche soberly iorniyng into the Northcountrey thinkyng there to repose them selfes, wer in their iorney appreheded, by the quenes frendes, and conueyed to Chester: but their kepers deliuered them shortly, or els the Marchemen had destroyed the Gayles. Such fauor had the commons of Wales, to the duke of Yorkes band and his 'affinitie, that thei could suffre no wrong to be doen, nor evil worde to be spoken of hym or his frendcs.